Swan-Ganz - right heart catheterization

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Cardiac catheterization

Swan Ganz catheterization

The procedure is done to look at how the blood circulates (moves) in people who have:

• Heart failure
• Shock
• Leaky heart valves (valvular regurgitation)
• Congenital heart disease
• Burns
• Kidney disease

It may also be done to monitor for complications of heart attack and see how well certain heart medications are working.

Swan-Ganz catheterization can also be used to see abnormal blood flow between two usually unconnected areas (shunt).

Conditions that can also be diagnosed or evaluated with Swan-Ganz catheterization include pulmonary hypertension, cardiac tamponade, and restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Review Date: 07/17/2006
Reviewed By: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.